tigk29

I was banded at The Wish Center in Tampa and an out of pocket patient pays around 16,000 and that also includes the support groups they have every month.

Hello Betty~ Congrats on your weight loss! Keep up the good work! :banana When I started to eat solid food mine was cold too so what I did was bought some baby plates at Toy's R US and because they are made of thin plastic I set them on a small heating plate and it keeps my food warm as I take a half hour to eat it! The plates come in a set and are in solid colors so they don't look childish and there are 2 regular plates, 2 plates with separated compartments and 2 lids.

In the coupon section of my paper this weekend there was an advertisement that Winn Dixie now sells the Crystal Light On the Go packets. They are also Buy One Get One Free. I live in the Tampa Bay Florida area.

In the coupon section of my paper this weekend there was an advertisement that Winn Dixie now carries the Crystal Light On the Go packets. They are also Buy One Get One Free. I live in the Tampa Bay Florida area.

I was told by my doctor they wait 3 moths for a fill because they want the band to scare in place and they want my body completely healed. I lost 33 pounds my first month. I was on 2 weeks of liquid (protein shake, milk, broth and juice) now I am in my puree stage and my meals consist of no more than a 1/2 cup at each meal. Breakfast 3 tablespoons of fruit 3 tablespoons of a starch 2 tablespoons of milk product Snack Protein shake lunch 3 tablespoons of protein 3 tablespoons of veggies 2 tablespoons of a starch Snack Protein Shake dinner 3 tablespoons of protein 3 tablespoons of veggies 2 tablespoons of a starch Snack Protein shake I can mix up the tablespoon amounts as long as I don't exceed 8 tablespoons (1/2 cup) I called my doc yesterday and I should be getting a call back today and I am going to tell him I am hungry! Well see if they will either do the fill sooner or if I can have more to eat.

I was told by my doctor not to exceed a half a cup of food at each meal. So I need to break up my meals by tablespoons so I get a protein, veg and starch with dinner and lunch and a fruit, milk and starch in with breakfast.

I had a good laugh about eating my arm off and cheating! I have one more week of purees, then I go to soft foods. I don't see the difference though between purees and soft foods or even solid foods for that matter. Right now I am pureeing real food and once I get to soft or solid foods I have to chew, chew, chew so doesn't that basically make it pureed? I guess that's what is depressing me because I feel as is I will never be full until my first fill.

I am sooooooooooooo hungry! Right now I am in the puree stage of my diet and in the beginning it wasnt that bad, but lately I have been getting hunger pains in between meals. I dont feel the "full" effect after I finish my meals even though they are lasting 30-35 min. Evening time isnt that bad because I try to keep myself busy, but at work I am dying. Water doesnt even fill me up like before. My day consist of: Breakfast 3 tablespoons of fruit 3 tablesppons of a starch 2 tablespoons of milk product Snack Protien shake lunch 3 tablespoons of protien 3 tablespoons of veggies 2 tablesppons of a startch Snack Protien shake dinner 3 tablespoons of protien 3 tablespoons of veggies 2 tablesppons of a startch Snack Protien shake I can mix up the tablespoon amounts as long as I dont exceed 8 tablespoons (1/2 cup) Does anyone know of something that I can try to fill me up before I call my docs office or chew my arm off which ever comes first. They dont want me to have a fill till 3 months after surgery. They want the band to scare in place and all that stuff.

Didnt mean to post here sorry!

Thanks guys for all your help!

Tell me what you think...... I was banded on August 23rd. My first fill is suppose to be Nov 23rd. Well I leave for Vegas on Dec 2nd for my 30th birthday and I am contemplating on getting the fill when I return. I have heard that sometimes the fill doesn't kick in till a week later and what happens if it kicks in a week and 2 days later when I arrive in Vegas and the doc filled it too much? What would you experienced bandsters do? Would you wait or go for it?:cry

Penni: 4/6/04 -- 47 lbs Lisa: 5/5/04 -- 51 lbs Becky 6/03/04 - 53 lbs Denice: 8/12/04 -- 20 lbs Leatha 05/29/03 - 67 lbs Michelle 4/6/04 -- 49.75 lbs Marie 5/26/04 -- 39 lbs Donali 1/23/03 -- 102 lbs Kathy 5/21/04 -- 41 lbs Cindy 7/22/04 -- 40 lbs Teresa 5/8/04 -- 63 lbs Kelly 8/20/03 -- 65 lbs Kyleigh 9/23/03 -- 60 lbs Bright 10/28/03 -- 70 lbs Michelle 6/14/04 - 20 lbs Babs 6/23/03 -- 136 lbs Nancy 8/27/03 -- 55 lbs michelle - shellyj 8-18-03 - 130 pounds Vera 8/14/03 -- 64 lbs Jacky 4/5/04 - 40 lbs Chris S. 9/02/03 - 54 lbs Debra 7/19/04 -- 17 lbs. Janie 5/6/04 -- 41 lbs Denise 5/28/04--33 lbs. Kim 8/23/04 -- 28 lbs. Total 1385.75 lbs of fat!

Hi Brit ~ I should of read that post after I ate breakfast! All of that food made me hungry! What kind of frozen yogurt do you eat? I am doing okay with purees. Your recipe ideas will help me mix it up a little so I do appreciate it! My thing is that I get stuck with certain foods I love in the beginning and then I burn myself out on them. Last week I weighed myself and I lost 28 pounds since surgery. I think a lot of it has to do with drinking liquids for two weeks because now that I am on purees it has slowed down some. Where did you have your surgery done?

Does anyone know if sherbet is bad for bandsters? I'm in my puree stage and I need to drink a protein shake as a snack in-between meals. I like the Boost shakes and last night I added a teaspoon of orange sherbet to my 1/2 cup of Vanilla Boost. It tastes wonderful and I look forward to drinking my protein. The diet that was given to me didn't say anything about sherbet and I am the type of person who feels as if she doesn't stick to the diet something will go wrong. Looking for someone out there to say "It's okay, sherbet is fine, Enjoy!"

Hi Karen ~ Were you banded on August 23rd? I was and today is my second day of pureed foods. I will have to admit I cried the first night because I was so excited to eat with silverware, so I went to the grocery store and bought baby food thinking it cant be that bad, but I was completely wrong. It was so gross and flavorless I couldn't get it down and wondered what I was going to do. Last night I pureed "real" food and it wasn't bad at all. This morning breakfast wasn't bad either so as the days go by I am learning more and more. If there are any recipes you would like to share let me know and I can do the same if your looking for ideas!

Zoe ~ I am so looking forward too refried beans, sour cream and melted cheese. I am hoping it isnt too spicy for me, but I have heard that some people can tolerate it!

I have the same issues, but I was told because I am not eating anything solid it is normal. My day consists of 16 oz of protien shake, 11 ounces of milk, 2 oz of broth and 4 oz of juice. My stage 2 diet starts Tuesday, Im sure you know how excited I am!

Thanks so much for the information. You bandsters are so helpful on these boards!

What does everyone take for headaches? I am almost two weeks post opt and I never thought to ask what I could take that would be safe. Any ideas?

Well thank you stranger on the internet!! It makes sense to me though. I was always wondering why some people say "you'll stretch your pouch" when I was always told as you eat less you stomach shrinks. So if I accidentally stretched the stomach why wouldn't it go back? It is such gray area! I was banded on Aug 23rd so I am still in my liquids phase. I was nervous about starting those, but as the days go by I get more comfortable with it. I am suppose to start stage 2 next week so my nerves will start back up again I'm sure because I am afraid I will eat too fast, too much and not chew enough if need be. A question about your un-banding: Do you see a difference with your appetite after your band was removed? Did you pick up any habits from when you were banded and they have now carried over?

So is it true that liquids don't stretch out your pouch?

I read some where on here that liquids do not stretch out your pouch. First of all is this true and if so why do we need to sip our liquids then? Is it because if we take big gulps it will make us feel sick? Also I was curious when we sip our liquids how soon after we take one sip can we take another? I know it may sound like a stupid question but I was curious! Sometimes I am very thirsty and sip more often then normal so I didnt know if that was okay.

So when you say "come up" you mean you will eventually throw up the food? Is this feeling something that lasts a long time or a few min? or does it vary? To prevent this just follow the rule of chew, chew, chew? Thanks for the info!

This may sound like a stupid question, but what does PB stand for? I see it in threads and for the life of me I cant figure out what it stands for. It's probley something really simple, I just don't get it!

That website you sent me is great. I cant wait to start eating next week! Thanks! :Bunny